Indoor Air: Hospitals - Additional Information

This information will help you gain a better understanding of questions hospital administers may have about the reduction of hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from hospitals. The sections below provide more information on this topic.

Medical hospitals are facilities that engage in providing general medical, surgical, and specialty services.

Equipment breakage and waste incineration may release pollutants into the air and may contribute to health concerns in hospitals and in the community.

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment is an organization that strives to educate healthcare professionals about the potential of pollution prevention throughout hospitals and healthcare systems in general.

What are the health effects of air pollutants that come from hospitals?

Hospitals can emit HAPs such as mercury and dioxin. These pollutants can contribute to health problems that may affect employees, patients, their families, and the community. While Federal, state, local, and Tribal regulations limit the amount of emissions from hospitals, dangerous releases of HAPs can occur if a hospital does not operate in compliance with regulations.

Mercury

Mercury can be used in thermometers, blood pressure cuffs, thermostats, fluorescent lights, and other products found in hospitals.

At room temperature, mercury is a liquid and emits toxic vapors, which can be inhaled into the lungs and absorbed into the bloodstream.

Mercury is very toxic to humans. It impacts the kidneys, liver, respiratory system, and central nervous system.

EPA's Health Effects Notebook has additional information related to the health effects of exposure to mercury.

PVC is used in plastic products such as IV bags, surgical tubing, other medical supplies, and construction materials.

PVC is a source of HAPs. Some hospitals incinerate their waste onsite.

Burning medical waste can produce dioxin, a potent carcinogen and that interferes with normal reproduction and development at low doses. EPA's Health Effects Notebook has more information related to the health effects of dioxin.

Making changes in hospital operations can stop pollutants at the source and increase efficiency. By evaluating and improving work practices, hospitals can decrease emissions, reduce operational costs, and protect employee and public health. Examples of changes in work practices that help reduce air pollution include:

Identify why mercury is present as an active ingredient in laboratory chemicals. It may be possible to substitute a mercury-free alternative.

Insist on mercury disclosures of all incoming products to the hospital.

Insist on using recovered and recycled mercury in all products that do not yet have mercury-free alternatives.

By reducing the amount of mercury used, it is possible to minimize the costs associated with mercury collection, storage, recycling, or disposal; paperwork for tracking hazardous waste disposal; and training for hospital employees who handle mercury-containing products or respond to drills. Reducing sources of mercury will also help avoid increased regulation in the future.

Locating Sources of Mercury

Conduct a regular mercury audit to determine where mercury may be used.

When forming a mercury audit team, use employees from all parts of the hospital. They have the best knowledge regarding where sources of mercury pollution may occur.

Formulate a plan based on the results of the audit to reduce sources of mercury.

Communicating Mercury Dangers

Develop a training and communication program aimed at increasing the general awareness of mercury health impacts.

Train employees to look for ways to reduce mercury pollution.

Develop and implement a protocol to prevent hospital employees from any improper disposal of mercury.

Developing a Mercury Housekeeping Program

Ensure that equipment and operating procedures meet all standards for handling mercury. This helps avoid inadvertent mercury air emissions.

Monitor and maintain the working condition of mercury-containing equipment. Label equipment.

Establish procedures on how and where mercury may be used and disposed.

Create and implement spill cleanup procedures for the recovery and cleanup of mercury.

Recycle mercury whenever reducing the amount of mercury used is not feasible.

A mercury "turn-in" program is an event sponsored by hospitals to receive mercury products that citizens may have in their homes such as mercury thermometers and batteries. The hospital then disposes of the mercury in a safe manner.

You can use this type of event as a community health initiative to inform your community of the dangers of mercury in the home.

Also, mercury "turn-ins" can promote hospitals as environmentally friendly hospitals and cooperative partners within the community.

What are environmentally preferable purchasing programs and how can they reduce mercury and PVC usage?

Environmentally preferred purchasing (also known as "green" purchasing) involves buying products that have a reduced environmental impact while maintaining the same quality and performance. See the Web page related to green procurement for more information.

Products that are environmentally friendly have some of the following attributes: